Kipper looked up to legend Vernon
WES GILBERTSON, Calgary Sun, February 02, 2012
Long before he started rewriting his records, Miikka Kiprusoff wanted to be like Mike.
When the flexible Finn arrived in the Silicon Valley for his first NHL training camp with the San Jose Sharks, Mike Vernon was among the guys he looked up to.
Once the puck drops in Friday’s clash with the Chicago Blackhawks, Vernon — and every other goalie to ever guard the home net at the Saddledome — will be looking up to Kiprusoff, who will become the Calgary Flames’ all-time games-played leader among goalies.
“I always would try a lot of what (Vernon) did when he played,” Kiprusoff said. “He was the starting goalie in San Jose my first training camp there. We were in different groups in training camp, so I would do my stretching and watch what he does. He was one of the top goalies in the NHL for so long a time, so I made sure I was looking at what he does.
“And he was nice to me, even in San Jose. He’s a great guy, and I really respect him.”
Vernon will long be remembered for his role in backstopping the Flames to a Stanley Cup parade in 1989 and had his No. 30 raised to the Saddledome rafters in 2007, but Kiprusoff is erasing most of his club records.
Already the franchise leader in victories (284), shutouts (40) and saves (14,551), Kiprusoff will also be alone atop the games played category after Friday’s showdown with the Blackhawks. He and Vernon currently share the all-time mark with 526 appearances apiece.
“I knew I was somewhere close,” Kiprusoff said after Thursday’s practice. “It’s probably something that you look back to after you’re done with hockey. It’s a pretty nice number, but right now, I don’t think about it too much.”
Vernon was the Flames’ main man between the pipes from 1986 to 1994 and also capped his career with a two-season stint in Calgary that ended in 2002.
In between, he hoisted the Stanley Cup a second time with the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 — winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the top playoff performer — and also had stints with the Sharks and Florida Panthers.
Kiprusoff, meanwhile, spent parts of five seasons in the Sharks organization, bouncing between the AHL and the big club before being acquired by the Flames in November 2003 in exchange for a second-round pick.
The soft-spoken puck-stopper became an immediate fan favourite in Calgary, leading the Flames to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals in his first season with the team.
Now 35, he has been the undisputed No. 1 netminder at the Saddledome ever since.
“I was pretty lucky,” Kiprusoff said. “When I came here, I came to a really good team, and I did get the chance right away to play and things worked out well. I had my little bit of a chance in San Jose, and I couldn’t use it, so I kind of knew I had to do it or I’m out of the league. It was a good chance for me to come here and a good chance to play behind such a good team.
“I was trying to be a starting goalie in the NHL, and that was the thing on my mind at that point. I didn’t think about how long or what can happen, just to play well and to prove to people that I can be a starting goalie in this league.”
With 526 (and counting) games in a Flames uniform, there’s no doubt he has proven that.
By the numbers
Most appearances by a Flames goalie
T1. Miikka Kiprusoff 526
T1. Mike Vernon 526
3. Rejean Lemelin 324
4. Trevor Kidd 178
5. Roman Turek 152
6. Fred Brathwaite 138
7. Don Edwards 114
8. Rick Wamsley 111
9. Rick Tabaracci 97
10. Dwayne Roloson 70
Getting To Know: Ryan Malone
Ryan Malone has 10 goals and 27 points in 41 games this season.
Mark Malinowski, The Hockey News, 2012-02-05
Status: Tampa Bay Lightning left winger.
Ht: 6-foot-4 Wt: 219 pounds
DOB: Dec. 1, 1979 In: Pittsburgh
First Hockey Memory: "I remember my dad (Greg) played so we always had hockey sticks around the house and around the locker room, I think all the hockey I remember (laughs). I guess one particular moment would be getting hockey equipment for Christmas as a young kid."
Nicknames: "I've had a couple in junior: ‘Big Bird’ because I was tall and scrawny and I had a yellow shirt on all the time. In college I had ‘Pony’ and now I have ‘Bugsy’ after - my dad had the name - and then after Bugsy Malone. I think he was an old-time gangster back in the day."
Hockey Inspirations: "Just obviously winning the Stanley Cup - since you're a little kid you dream of that. So that's what we always wanted to play for and that's why we play."
Last Book Read: "Unbroken. It's about a man who goes through everything you can probably imagine a man can go through and he's still standing on his feet."
First Job: "I want to say a hockey instructor at school. At a hockey school camp that I got paid for."
Current Car: "I just have a Porsche Panamera."
Greatest Sports Moment: "I don't know. Haven't got it yet? Can I say that?"
Most Painful Moment: "Losing to Detroit in Game 6 in the Stanley Cup final."
Favorite Uniforms: "Good question - I'm gonna stick with Tampa. Tampa's new sweater."
Favorite Arena: "I like going back to Pittsburgh."
Closest Hockey Friends: "So many guys. I think all the guys you came into the league with, like I said, back in Pittsburgh, Ryan Whitney, (Colby) Armstrong, (Marc-Andre) Fleury, (Sidney) Crosby, all those guys, (Brooks) Orpik. We all came into the league kind of together, so it was pretty special."
Funniest Players Encountered: "Colby Armstrong is up there, Ryan Whitney and Andre Roy, Marc Bergevin - an older guy I hung out with when I was a rookie in the league. So I got to experience ‘Bergie’ - he's legendary, for me, I guess."
Toughest Competitors Encountered: "I think Crosby is one of the fiercest competitors, his desire. He's obviously hard to play against, when he's on your team it helps motivate you and get you going, when you see a guy want it that bad. There's a lot of guys who are hard to play against."
Most Memorable Goal: "Scoring in the Olympics was pretty special."
Embarrassing Hockey Memory: "Knock on wood, I want to say I don't have that many (laughs). Hope it doesn't happen tonight! (Ryan knocks on one of his sticks.)"
Favorite Sport Outside Hockey: "Golf."
Funny Hockey Memory: "Everything, there's a lot of moments that make you laugh. Trying to think of one...but any time you see a buddy kind of just trip over his own feet always gets a good chuckle from the guys on the bench or whatever. (Last one to trip?) Bruno Gervais tripped the other night, so it's a good chuckle for the boys."
Last Vacation: "I guess Bahamas."
Strangest Game: "I think we won against Philadelphia last year, 8-7. It was a weird game, it felt like everything was going into the net. 8-7 was definitely strange."
Personality Qualities Most Admired: "Just honesty and someone who's very positive. I think positive people rub off on other people, it makes things a lot easier for everybody."
Keith Yandle: Before I Made It
Keith Yandle was a fourth round pick (105th overall) in 2005 by Phoenix.
With Kevin Kennedy, The Hockey News, 2012-02-04
The highlight of my youth hockey experience was definitely playing in a tournament up in Canada. We played against a team called the Montreal Vipers who had a bunch of players who are in the NHL now, but we went in there and we beat them and won the tournament. It was pretty special to me. I remember my dad telling us how big that was and I remember going back to school the next week and telling all my buddies. It was awesome.
My father coached me my whole life growing up and I definitely owe a lot to him. He has a great hockey mind and he still loves the game and helps out with minor league teams back in Boston. My dad never let us play hockey in the summer. Whether it was baseball, football, lacrosse, whatever, we could play anything but hockey. He just didn’t want us to burn out. When hockey season came back around, I was hungry and wanted to play even more and I remember getting really excited about getting back on the ice. I remember there was one rink I didn’t look forward to playing at. It was called Milton Academy. It was like half outdoors and they had trailers for dressing rooms. It was brutal.
During the off-season I head back to Massachusetts and play a ton of sports. In the summers I like to golf and play a little tennis and maybe shoot some hoops. As a kid I played a lot of road hockey and I always said I was Ray Bourque. Growing up, I was friends with his son, Chris Bourque, and I always used to get Ray’s old half-broken wooden sticks and I’d use them for street hockey. I was a huge Bruins fan growing up.
As a kid, I always wanted to be a firefighter because my grandfather was a fireman and I looked up to him big time. Whenever I was at my grandparent’s house I was always wearing his helmet pretending to put out fires.
I grew up with an older brother and sister who both played hockey, so as the youngest I usually got stuck with hand-me-down equipment until one summer when my dad rewarded me with something special. I remember me and my brother painted our house one summer and for a gift my dad got me a new pair of Easton skates and that was the first time I’d got a new pair of skates. You know, money wasn’t flying around. Getting that pair of skates was pretty special, I think I wore them for three or four years. I mean now I wear skates for three weeks and get rid of them so it was pretty special.
I played my first NHL game in 2006-2007 when I was called up from San Antonio mid-season. My first game was in Detroit, but I definitely wasn’t matched up against Pavel Datsyuk or Henrik Zetterberg. I remember Datsyuk hopped over the boards on a line change and it wasn’t long before he was coming down on me and I was like, ‘oh boy, here comes an ESPN top 10 goal,’ but he ended up cutting to the middle and nothing really happened.
Trending Topics: The poor Capitals are having motivation problems; Pierre McGuire for Habs GM
Ryan Lambert, Yahoo! Sports, 2012-02-03
Trending Topics is a column that looks at the week in hockey, occasionally according to Twitter. If you're only going to comment to say how stupid Twitter is, why not just go have a good cry for the slow, sad death of your dear internet instead?
Anyone that watched the Washington Capitals game in Sunrise, Fla., against the Panthers on Wednesday probably saw something strange.
It was a game between two teams, first and second in their division; one in which the visitors had every incentive to win. If they did so, they would put a bit more breathing room between themselves and their hosts, tripling the point difference. It was important because Florida has a game in hand.
But the strange thing viewers saw in that game was that the Capitals barely put in an effort. It was 1-1 through 40 minutes, and then the Panthers exploded for two goals in the first 10 minutes of the third. The game was over, for all intents and purposes, even as Washington pulled back within one with a little more than two minutes to go.
So why on earth would a team battling tooth and nail for the top spot in their division, trying to stave off the ignominity of dropping from "third" in the conference to ninth with a single loss, mail it in that badly?
"Some teams," defenseman Karl Alzner, who had an assist on Washington's first goal, told Stephen Whyno of the Washington Times, "it's just really easy to get up for because the team that they are — the Canadiens, the Rangers. Those games are really easy. Sometimes here in Florida it's difficult to get up."
Now, I have no doubt that this is a thing teams have to deal with at all competitive levels of any sport. Great teams, let's say, the Canucks, look at their schedule and see they're playing, I don't know, the Oilers. They say, "Oh, this one will be easy." Then they go out and maybe the game is closer than it should be: a 4-2 win instead of 5-1. Or maybe, especially if the better team is on the road, they even lose, like on Oct. 25, when Edmonton beat the reigning Western Conference champs 3-2.
It would be totally understandable that you can't gin up the same compete level for, the 15th-place team that you do for the second- or third-place team. Certainly, you can't do it every time, and in the course of an 82-game schedule, you lose games you should win.
But with that in mind, let's just remind ourselves that the Capitals, for all their regular-season success last year and the one before that and the one before that and even the one before that, are no longer a great team. They're not even a good team. They are a decidedly mediocre team.
They weren't playing a bad team. They were playing another decidedly mediocre team. One that, again, was hot on their heels for the division lead.
And keep in mind: whoever doesn't win that division, if they make the playoffs at all, is going to get demolished by whoever wins the East, whether it's the Rangers or Bruins (or maybe Flyers I guess).
So how on earth does anyone on the Capitals use "we just couldn't get motivated" as an excuse at this point in the season? That's the kind of attitude that got Bruce Boudreau fired. It's the kind of attitude that have them ninth in the conference despite being one of the more talented teams in the League.
It's very rare that I consider nebulous, unquantifiable things like "compete level" to be the difference in games, but when you have a member of the team telling the media that the reason it coughed up two points to the division rivals who just leapfrogged them in the standings that the team couldn't "get up" for the game? It's a problem.
Washington plays at BankAtlantic Center three times a season. This was their second game in Sunrise this year, and now they're 0-2. The circumstances were different — Florida's apparently-trademarked three-goal outburst came in the first 16:31 of the first period, rather than the third — but the end result was certainly the same.
Watching both these teams, one gets the feeling that the winner will be decided by just a handful of points at the very most, and let's not forget that Tampa has now won five of its last six games and looks to be in a pretty good position to play spoiler if nothing else. For Washington especially, which has lost four of its last five, the footsteps have to be growing louder.
These teams meet in Florida one more time this season (on Feb. 17) and three more overall, but if they don't find whatever made them win the last four Southeast Division titles, they're going to have to start finding ways to motivate themselves for the back nine starting in mid-April.
Pierre McGuire GMing the Habs? Monster move
Rumors started circulating Wednesday that Pierre McGuire of all people was considered a strong candidate for the general managers' position of the Montreal Canadiens.
Quelle surprise.
Lots of people laughed because Pierre McGuire is that short bald guy on TV who stands to close to interview subjects, and screams phrases like "active stick" and "big body" to the point of self-parody. He's the guy who knows every junior-B team any guy in the entire league ever bought a ticket to see. He's the guy who won't shut up.
He's also got to be doing something right.
These days, almost any time a GM position opens up, you hear that McGuire is at least being considered, if not favored, if not actually interviewed for the job. Why do you think that is? It's because as much as hockey fans hate to admit it, there are probably very few people in the league who watch anywhere near as much hockey as McGuire does every season, and at most competitive levels. In terms of his familiarity with players, coaches and front office personnel, there are likely few candidates that can match him.
But the most curious thing to come out of all of this is the perception that McGuire would be all well and good for a job in Minnesota or Columbus or something, but not Montreal. And by curious, I mean laughable. Guess what, Habs fans: The 24 Cups and all that stuff is, much as you are loath to admit it, very much a thing of the past.
The Habs are, for everything they once were, now just a regular old NHL franchise, and not even a very good one. They've been mismanaged right into the ground by a slew of bad general managers and coaches, and as I write this on Thursday evening, they're two points ahead of Carolina for 15th in the East.
Let's face facts. The Habs have been to one Conference Final since they won the Stanley Cup in 1993. There have been two lockouts since then. They've missed the playoffs six times since and seem destined to Make It Seven. That one Conference Final, by the way? A fluke. An illusion. They're not an elite team and haven't been since Patrick Roy sulked his way out of town. There's a reason they have a proud history, and not a proud present-day.
So next time you want to say that Montreal is an unsuitable place for anyone, for any reason, you might want to consider what it means to be the Canadiens in 2012. It sure as hell doesn't mean what it did 20 years ago, no matter what the fans or media or team itself would lead you to believe.
And besides, McGuire couldn't possibly do worse at the gig than Pierre Gauthier.
Pearls of Biz-dom
We all know that there isn't a better Twitter account out there than that of Paul Bissonnette. So why not find his best bit of advice on love, life and lappers from the last week?
BizNasty on high-level performance: "The most fascinating thing about the NHL Skills competition is that most of it is probably being done hungover."
Seattle sports-arena talks well under way, documents show:
Emails and documents released by the city show that there's a far more focused effort to bring an NBA team back to Seattle and build a new arena than previously known.
Steve Miletich and Lynn Thompson, Seattle Times, Feb 4 2012
Land just south of the Safeco Field parking garage has been acquired by multimillionaire Christopher Hansen, who has told city officials a sports arena could be built there with minimal impact on taxpayers.
A wealthy San Francisco hedge-fund manager and officials in the Seattle mayor's office have been working behind the scenes for eight months to bring an NBA team back to the city as early as next fall and build a new arena, according to emails and documents that reveal a far more concerted effort than previously known.
A Dec. 13 agenda for a meeting between the parties shows they were talking about details such as a "Review of Basic Deal Structure," "Financing Issues," including "City Debt Capacity," and "Security for Public Financing."
The documents, released Friday to The Seattle Times under a public-disclosure request, also provide the first glimpse of how the largely unknown hedge-fund manager, 44-year-old Seattle native Christopher Hansen, approached the city about his desire to buy an NBA team and build an arena south of Safeco Field.
In an initial email laying out his vision, Hansen told city officials an arena could be built with minimal impact on taxpayers.
"Thanks for spending the time today guys," Hansen wrote in a June 16 email to Julie McCoy, chief of staff to Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, and Ethan Raup, the mayor's director of policy and operations.
"I really appreciate it and look forward to making this happen in Seattle," wrote Hansen, a multimillionaire who built a fortune in the private investment world. "I genuinely mean that and am confident that with a little effort and creativity we can find a solution that meets our needs and the City's /State's desire to get a team back to Seattle without a large public outlay."
Hansen offered to provide information on "recent municipal arena deals that have been put together and some of the direct and indirect contributions that the city can make that don't require incremental taxes or direct public funding."
Those issues were on the table at the key Dec. 13 meeting, which was attended by McCoy and Raup and set up by Carl Hirsh, a New Jersey arena consultant hired by the city in July.
It was held at the law offices of Foster Pepper, one of Seattle's prominent law firms. An attorney with the firm, Hugh Spitzer, had been hired by the city in September to provide advice on selling construction bonds.
The agenda also included discussion of KeyArena, where the Seattle Sonics played before owner Clay Bennett moved the team to Oklahoma City in 2008 after failing to secure a new arena. Bennett said KeyArena lacked amenities to support an NBA franchise.
No details were listed on the agenda, but KeyArena could be used as a temporary home for a new team with the permission of the NBA, which considered it an unsuitable permanent venue even before the Sonics departed.
Kings up for grabs?
Although the documents don't mention how Seattle would obtain a team, they show the city has been following developments in Sacramento, which is under a March 1 deadline to come up with a viable proposal to build an arena for the Sacramento Kings. In September, Hirsh emailed a copy of an Associated Press story to Raup that outlined the Sacramento situation.
If Sacramento fails, the Kings could be playing in Seattle next fall if the city and Hansen reach an agreement, according to a Seattle City Hall source who has been briefed on the matter.
In addition, National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman has expressed a strong interest in placing a team in Seattle, leading to widespread speculation that the financially struggling Phoenix Coyotes could be moved here.
Bettman, speaking after a board of governors meeting in Ottawa last week, said the league hopes to find a buyer before the end of the season to keep the Coyotes in the Phoenix area, according to news reports. "I don't see any reason to discuss a Plan B at this point," he said.
But, according to ESPN.com, Bettman said, "There are a lot of people who think Seattle would be a great place to have a team. The Pacific Northwest, the natural rivalry with Vancouver, another team in the Pacific time zone ... but there's no building."
Seattle has been mentioned as an NHL destination along with Kansas City and Quebec City.
While many observers consider an NHL team, as well as concerts and entertainment events, to be a crucial component for the financial success of a new arena, the documents obtained by The Times focus on basketball.
The last item listed on the Dec. 13 agenda was, "Terms for Consideration from Development Team."
No final offer from Hansen's group has been presented to the city. Hansen heads Valiant Capital Management LLC, but his effort is said to be a personal endeavor.
McGinn said Saturday he is taking the proposal "very seriously," but doesn't want the city to be left "holding the bag."
He said he couldn't predict the timing for the next step.
"It's a pretty substantial commitment that would have to be made by the investors," McGinn said, emphasizing that the city budget can't be tapped to fund an arena.
Voters have spoken
McGinn said the offer also must honor the will of Seattle's voters, who in 2006 overwhelmingly approved an initiative that says the city must make a profit on any investment it makes in a sports arena. McGinn noted that he voted for the initiative.
Hansen, a 1986 graduate of Roosevelt High School with deep roots in the city, has not publicly spoken about his plans.
But in his June 16 email, Hansen referred Seattle officials to an aide who would be willing to talk about arena deals in other cities, identifying the representative as Dave Perez.
On June 18, Perez wrote to McCoy and Raup that he was "eager to spend some time with you guys discussing recent PPP solutions that have been used to deliver sports facilities," an apparent reference to public-private partnerships.
The documents don't provide a breakdown of how the partnership would work, but the public end could include admission taxes and increased tax collections tied to a boost in Sodo property values. Some fiscal-analysis materials were withheld from The Times by the city as confidential. McGinn said no new tax source would be used to fund an arena, while acknowledging the city already collects admissions and property taxes.
Hansen has acquired property south of Safeco Field's parking garage, between South Massachusetts and South Holgate streets east of First Avenue South, records show.
While sources have previously said at least one business owner has declined to sell, the issue of the city using its power of eminent domain to acquire the land is no longer a concern of Hansen's group, Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes said during a recent interview with The Times editorial board.
Holmes did not elaborate, but his comments suggest Hansen's representatives have reached some sort of agreements.
Hirsh, managing partner of Stafford Sports LLC, who has extensive experience with arena deals, has estimated the cost of building a state-of-the art facility at about $400 million.
City Councilmember Richard Conlin said intense public scrutiny would be given to any arena proposal and that the investment group must be willing to vet its plans with the public.
"They're going to have to expect a lot of publicity in the final stages," Conlin said.
Councilmember Nick Licata, a vocal critic of previous stadium deals that involved public financing, said he'd support a plan to build a new arena that provided the city with a return on its investment as required by the 2006 initiative.
McGinn has said that once the city receives a firm proposal, it will open discussions with the City Council.
Eyes on Sacramento
What happens in Sacramento could drive the process.
Sacramento is attempting to secure the financing to build a new downtown arena for the Kings, who have played since 1988 in what is now known as Power Balance Pavilion, formerly Arco Arena. At 17,317 capacity, it is the smallest arena in the NBA and is also one of the oldest, and lacks many of the revenue-generating amenities of new arenas.
The Kings are owned by Joe and Gavin Maloof, who have run into some well-documented financial issues in recent years, specifically concerning their investment in the Palms Casino in Las Vegas, and they are pressing for a new arena to be built immediately or to relocate the team somewhere it will make more money.
The Kings almost moved to Anaheim last season before NBA Commissioner David Stern stepped in and said the city should be allowed more time to try to keep the team. Given that the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers already play in the Southern California market, the owners of those teams might balk at a competitor.
The Kings are an original member of the NBA, which dates to 1949, and are one of the most well-traveled, having played in Rochester, N.Y.; Cincinnati; and Kansas City-Omaha before Sacramento.
Under the NBA's March 1 deadline for Sacramento to present a viable financing plan, a new arena would be located at the downtown rail yards at a cost of roughly $400 million. The city has proposed to raise about $200 million by leasing the rights to the city's parking spaces for 50 years.
On Friday, the city announced the names of 13 companies that have submitted proposals to win those rights. The city is expected on Feb. 14 to present to the City Council the proposals it considers the most viable. It also has been expected that a proposed arena builder would donate roughly $50 million to the project.
The Kings are struggling on the court, with a losing record, and attendance has suffered, with its average of 14,267 per game through Feb. 3 ranking 26th among 30 teams.
No secret to Wings success
ROBERT TYCHKOWSKI, QMI Agency, Feb 4 2012
Detroit Red Wings' Niklas Kronwall hits Edmonton Oilers' Ales Hemsky during the first period of their NHL hockey game in Edmonton Feb. 4, 2012.
It happens like clockwork, but it’s not automatic for the Detroit Red Wings.
While the numbers are staggering — 11 straight seasons of 100-plus points and 20 straight seasons in the playoffs — success doesn’t just happen.
“Individually, guys take it upon themselves to be ready and focused,” said veteran forward Dan Cleary, adding players have created a culture where everyone gives as much to the Wings as the Wings give to them.
“Everybody has a lot of pride in playing here in Detroit; we all believe that we’re treated very well, there’s nothing that we don’t get or need, and we don’t like to take advantage of that.”
But for all of Detroit’s winning, they have “just” two Stanley Cups in the last 13 years, which goes to show how tough it really is to win that trophy.
“You ask anyone who’s won here in the last few years, it’s really hard, you need everything to go your way,” said Cleary.
“You need all your best players to be their best, your role players to be the best role players, no injuries or timely bounces.
“It’s amazing how everything has to fall in line, but it’s certainly well worth the journey and the work that goes into it.”
NICK OF TIME
This just in: Nick Lidstrom is awesome.
Wings defenceman Ian White always knew that, but he never really understood just how awesome until he got a chance to play with him in Detroit.
“It’s been a thrill so far, for sure,” said White, whose plus-29 rating was second best in the NHL heading into the weekend schedule (Tyler Seguin is first at plus-30).
“He’s one of the greatest of all time. Getting an opportunity to play with him and practice with him, you learn so much.
“You get an extra boost of confidence every time you go out there knowing he’s your partner.”
Carter doesn’t have no-trade clause
ERIC FRANCIS, QMI Agency, Feb 6 2012
The biggest name circulating amidst all those in trade rumours is even more eligible for a trade than previously believed.
Jeff Carter’s agent, Rick Curran, told the Sun Saturday that contrary to endless reports suggesting the Columbus Blue jackets centre has a no-trade clause, the fact is he doesn’t.
As cited by capgeek.com — the best source for player contract information — Carter’s original 11-year, $58-million contract with Philadelphia had a no trade clause from 2012 to 2015 (and a limited one thereafter). However, the no-trade clause was to have kicked in on his 27th birthday, which was Jan. 1. Because he was traded by the Flyers before his birthday, the no-trade clause doesn’t “travel,” and he’s free to be traded by the Blue Jackets at any time if they so desire.
Carter is not a happy camper in Columbus, and there’s huge interest in his cap-friendly deal despite the term.
And possible suitors don’t have to worry about any trade restrictions going forward.
STEVIE Y’s JUNIOR DEBATE
Steve Yzerman opened a big can of worms by saying he’d like to see junior-eligible players with three years CHL experience eligible to be sent to the minors.
Several executives around the NHL agree, albeit quietly, as they know much it would upset the NHL’s most important development leagues – the OHL, WHL and QMJHL.
As it stands, NHL clubs must choose between keeping junior-aged players in junior or in the NHL. The rationale behind adding a third option is that some players seem caught in the middle between not being able to continue developing in junior yet aren’t ready for NHL action — a perfect example is Tampa’s Brett Connolly.
The Canadian Hockey League vehemently disagrees with Yzerman’s idea and will fight hard to ensure it doesn’t lose top players to the minors.
Interestingly, the agreement between the NHL and CHL (which the NHLPA is part of) expires in July, and the issue will likely become part of CBA discussions.
“This has never been raised with us — we think it’s working well and don’t see any reason to change it,” said WHL president Ron Robison, whose loop depends on high-profile, star players to drive gates, up the talent level and help develop younger players.
“The NHL and Colin Campbell understand the importance of getting a good product and developing players, so I don’t think they want to jeopardize that.
“We have the highest respect for Steve Yzerman, but any time you come into the league, there’s a learning curve in terms of understanding the system.
“We need a good, competitive environment with good players.”
Perhaps a compromise would be that only first- or second-round players have the option of going to the minors and only after logging three years of CHL service.
SURGING SAMMY
Sam Gagner’s eight-point night bolstered his stock on the trade market but also ensured he may finally get a chance to prove he belongs among the Oilers’ top six forwards now and in the future.
He’s been incredibly frustrated this year at his lack of playing time with the young studs as he’s been used largely as a third-liner. He’ll now get that chance to prove he should stay on the top two lines now.
Fact is, while the Oilers would consider trading the 22-year-old restricted free agent if it could land the club a top-four defenceman, few teams around the league are willing to pay big for a small centre who isn’t considered a strong skater.
Gagner and the Oilers have not talked contract at all.
Those who are the most likely candidates to be traded by the Oilers: Andy Sutton, Eric Belanger and Ales Hemsky.
Different approaches
Michael Grange, Sportsnet.ca, February 6, 2012
Somebody should have rented a barn.
On Monday night, the Edmonton Oilers arrive in Toronto for more than simply a hockey game.
The Oilers and Leafs are a clash of cultures representing two very different approaches to (theoretically) building a championship contender in the post-lockout, hard-cap NHL.
In the copper-and-blue corner you have Kevin Lowe's Oilers, card-carriers for the NBA-style burn-it-to-the-ground-in-the-hopes-of-drafting-enough-franchise-players-to-make-it-worthwhile school.
In the Blue-and-White corner you have Brian Burke's rebuild on the fly approach; where he tests his belief that you can construct a Stanley Cup winner without touching bottom or waiting for the draft to bless your franchise with riches -- or is that fool's gold?
Each approach is in its fourth season -- both Burke and Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini (who moved Lowe into the president's role) were hired in 2008. But as the 2012 trade deadline approaches only the Leafs look to be buyers as it's only the Leafs that have a realistic chance at making the playoffs this year.
So by that measure, the Leafs and Burke would seem to have the upper hand. But which roster would you rather have?
The Leafs -- deep and young but minus the kind of franchise-defining players that teams like Chicago and Pittsburgh built Cup winners around?
Or the Oilers -- who just might have the elite talent in the form of No. 1 picks Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins -- but lack the organizational depth at this stage to leverage it?
Monday night marks the meeting of two teams playing some good hockey -- both clubs have earned nine points in their past five games -- but it's not a rivalry. The NHL schedule makes it nearly impossible for teams from different conferences to truly become embittered with one another, unless they happen to meet in the Stanley Cup final, as the hate between the Boston Bruins and the Vancouver Canucks would demonstrate.
But wouldn't it be wild -- okay a pharmaceutically-powered fantasy -- if one day in the not-so-distant future the Oilers and Leafs met in a Cup final?
First of all hockey fans would be treated to two weeks of the club's respective presidents tugging at their ties and asking the other if they wanted to take it outside.
Old-time hockey!
The bad blood between the two men dates to their verbal sparring over Lowe's decision to sign restricted free agent Dustin Penner to an offer sheet when Penner was playing for Burke's Anaheim Ducks in the summer of 2007.
At its peak, Burke revealed recently, he was ready to set a time and place for the beef to be settled, telling an interviewer he was going to rent a barn for him and Lowe to fight.
They've since made amends, but the different paths the two teams have is a barroom argument that won't be settled until one of the teams begin making deep playoff runs.
There are certainly some holes in Burke's approach. Not only have the Leafs missed the playoffs in the three years he's been in charge and six straight, if Toronto does make the playoffs this year it will likely be as a low seed. Given Toronto has the ninth-highest payroll in the league and has $51 million committed to 16 players for next season, Burke is not in an easy position to use money to fill the roster's gaps.
Having forgone the chance to draft Tyler Seguin or Dougie Hamilton (the players drafted with picks acquired from the Leafs, No. 2 in 2010 and No. 9 in 2011, respectively); the Leafs' franchise players are guys other teams have given up on -- Phil Kessel (Boston) and Dion Phaneuf (Calgary).
It would seem the Leafs are a team that will taste playoff success before the Oilers, but can they win a Cup with those two?
Meanwhile, as promising as the likes of Hall and Nugent-Hopkins are, they're still just 20 and 19, respectively, so still a few years away from franchise-carrying duties.
And regardless of how high their stars climb, it's worth noting that even a team like the Pittsburgh Penguins, who drafted high and well in the form of top picks like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Marc-Andre Fleury, only became a Cup contender when later-round finds like Ryan Malone (115th overall) and Kris Letang (62nd overall) became regular contributors.
Maybe that's why the most important player the Oilers have drafted recently is Jordan Eberle, their leading scorer at 21-years old and delivering unexpected value for the 22nd overall choice in the 2008 draft.
Drafting high isn't enough. Columbus has picked eighth or better 10 times in its 12-year history but has never won a playoff game. The Islanders have picked ninth or better five times in the past six years but will be picking high again this season. The Panthers picked fourth or better for four straight years beginning in 2001 but haven't made the playoffs since. They might make it this season but only after they went out and signed a handful of veteran free agents.
In a 30-team league with a hard-cap, there has been no proven model that guarantees deep playoff runs. The Oilers and Leafs are well down very different paths their combative club presidents hope will end in a Stanley Cup parade.
Ahead on points -- for now -- are Burke and his Leafs.
Campbell: Gagner only had seven points
Ken Campbell, The Hockey News, 2012-02-06
Sam Gagner’s eight-point performance last Thursday night was undoubtedly the NHL’s feel-good story of the week and, on the surface, it was phenomenal. No player had scored that many points in a game in more than 23 years and only once in the league’s history – when Bert Olmstead did it in 1954-55 – had a player scored eight in a game in an era when league-wide scoring was lower than it is now.
It was one for the ages to be sure. Too bad it should never have happened.
That’s because even though Gagner was credited with eight points in the game, he should have only earned seven. Don’t believe me? Watch the replay of the Oilers third goal of the game, the one scored by defenseman Ryan Whitney.
Gagner gains the Chicago Blackhawks zone with speed and cuts to the middle of the slot. That’s when Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson knocks the puck off his stick. Then David Bolland of the Blackhawks pounces on the loose puck and tries to clear the zone. But he fails to do so and the puck ends up on Whitney’s stick before the Oilers defenseman blasts it from the blueline past Chicago goalie Corey Crawford.
Any way you look at it, there’s no way Gagner deserves an assist on that goal. Two Blackhawks touched the puck between Gagner and Whitney, with Bolland clearly having the puck on his stick before committing the giveaway. That goes against rule 33.2 which governs goals and assists, which says: “An assist is awarded to the player or players (maximum two) who touches the puck prior to the goal scorer, provided no defender plays or possesses the puck in between.” (Italics mine.)
Despite that, Gagner was awarded an assist on the ice by the referee, but that’s not where the mistake was made. Every goal scored in the NHL is reviewed by the official scorer, who would have had plenty of opportunity to watch the replay before coming up with the official scoring play. How anyone could see a goal under those circumstances and still award an assist to Gagner is beyond comprehension. In fact, it’s right in the same rule that the official scorer’s duties and responsibilities are spelled out. The rule also reads: “The official scorer shall award the points for the goals and assists and his decision shall be final. The official scorer shall use the video goal judge system to verify the proper awarding of goals and assists.”
Need more evidence? Actually it was provided in a game that was played that very same night. In the Dallas Stars 5-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks, Stars defenseman Trevor Daley makes a long pass to Steve Ott, which bounces off Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle before coming back to Ott, who shoots it in the net. Daley was not awarded an assist on that play.
Go ahead, accuse us of being nitpickers and killjoys here, but this was a franchise record-tying event we’re talking about. Of course, the official scorer had no way of knowing things would turn out the way they did when the third goal was scored, but when you watch the replay there’s still no excuse for awarding Gagner an assist. (A long-time NHL observer came to precisely the same conclusion when he reviewed the goal, by the way.)
Since the official scorer’s decision is final, there’s no way the assist can be taken away from Gagner, nor should it at this point. After all, players have scored at least eight points in a game 13 times previously in NHL history and there’s a chance they could have received phantom points as well. Wayne Gretzky scored eight points on two occasions in the 1983-84 season and the joke around the league then was that Gretzky received an assist for every goal scored in Alberta.
But had the points on that goal been properly awarded in the first place using video technology the league has embraced, there would be no reason to point it out because Gagner would have finished the evening with seven points.
YAK ATTACK
The two-game suspension levied against Nail Yakupov for missing the Canadian Hockey League Top Prospects Game is another example of the limited rights the best teenagers in the world have in major junior hockey.
Yakupov was suspended two games by Ontario League commissioner David Branch for skipping the event in Kelowna, which he did after Yakupov produced a note from a reputable doctor in London, Ont., who said it would not be in the player’s best interests to play in the game. It should be noted Yakupov had played in the Sarnia Sting’s three previous games after missing a month with a knee injury suffered in the gold medal game at the World Junior Championship.
This is not the same thing as an NHL millionaire blowing off the All-Star Game because he wants to spend four days on the beach or gambling in Las Vegas. This is an 18-year-old in the midst of one of the most crucial seasons of his career, one who has just returned from a significant injury.
Players in junior these days are expected to play in pre-season games, the regular season, all-star games, Russian-CHL challenge games, prospect games (during their draft years) and face a Stanley Cup-like playoff grind if their team makes it to the Memorial Cup. That’s a lot to ask of teenagers who aren’t nearly as physically developed as the men who play in the NHL.
What makes this so disturbing is that Yakupov is an elite player, the top prospect for this year’s draft. If he has no control over his own career, what’s a third-liner going to do other than constantly toe the line, even if he feels it’s not the best thing for him?
Nolan calls it quits
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, February 7, 2012
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Owen Nolan, who hasn't played in the NHL since the 2009-10 season, announced his retirement Tuesday at the San Jose Sharks' home rink.
"I guess I've known this day was here for a while," said Nolan, a five-time all-star and Olympic gold medallist with Canada. "It's tough to give it up when your heart and mind wants to keep doing it. My body can't keep up and I had to accept that."
Nolan, who lives in San Jose, played 18 seasons and scored 422 goals with 463 assists in 1,200 games. He played for the Quebec Nordiques and Colorado Avalanche, the Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Phoenix Coyotes, Calgary Flames and, most recently, the Minnesota Wild.
Nolan was with the Wild in 2009-10 and played in Zurich last year.
Nolan retired ranked 71st on the NHL's career goals list, 33rd in power-play goals and 100th in points.
The former Sharks captain, who turns 40 Sunday, was the first overall pick in the 1990 draft and reached the NHL after playing six games with the AHL's Halifax Citadels.
"To be a power forward in the NHL is like being a running back in the NFL," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said. "You take a lot of punishment and hand out a lot of punishment. To have played as long as he has, and at that level, is remarkable."
Nolan, who was born in Northern Ireland, played in 568 games over parts of eight seasons with the Sharks, his longest tenure of any team.
"I knew when I retired I would return to San Jose," Nolan said. "My kids were born here, my wife is from here and I love it here. I was very emotional when I was traded from here, but we all know it's not just a sport but a business too. I have so many memories here that I have to say the overall experience of playing here was awesome."
Nolan, who has several business ventures in the San Jose area, said he will spend time with his family before deciding whether he will return to hockey in some capacity.
Nolan appeared in 65 Stanley Cup playoff games with Nordiques, Sharks, Maple Leafs and Flames. He had 21 goals and 19 assists in those contests.
"Owen is a great teammate," said San Jose development coach Mike Ricci, who spent parts of 11 seasons with Nolan in Quebec, Colorado, San Jose and Phoenix. "A lot of people know how tough a skater he was but he also had great hands to go with it. He was great in tight, and had the finesse to go with the toughness. He was a unique player."
Nolan, who compiled 1,793 penalty minutes, is perhaps best known for his called shot in the 1997 all-star game. He was in alone on goalie Roman Turek and pointed to the top-right corner of the net before hitting the spot to complete a hat trick.
"I've seen the replays a few times and I always think, 'what was I doing?"' he said. "It just seemed like the right thing to do at the time. Luck was on my side and it just worked."
His finest NHL season was with the Sharks in 1999-00, when he set career-highs with 44 goals, 84 points, 18 power-play goals and finished fifth in voting for the Hart Trophy, awarded to the NHL's most valuable player.
"Owen Nolan was a dominating player on the ice and remains an important member of the history of the San Jose Sharks franchise," Wilson said. "All I can say is 'Thank you."'
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2012/02/07/sharks_nolan_retires_nhl/?source=video
Boylen: Four GMs given an unnecessarily hard time
Rory Boylen, The Hockey News, 2012-02-07
Wouldn’t it be great to be the GM of a hockey team and run it how you see fit? What strategy would you take? Would you stick to it throughout?
Because it’s a fantasy job based in reality – and because there are so many passionate fans – there are armchair GMs everywhere (heck, in the fantasy league I’m in, we’re all armchair GMs). The thing is, most moves we want to see are ones you’re more likely to have pulled in your keeper pool than in real life. There’s just more to the transaction side of the business in the actual GM’s chair.
GMs are constantly being judged by fans and onlookers at every turn. Did he get full value for a player? Why didn’t he trade this player? Why isn’t he trading the pending UFA who is unlikely to re-sign? Sometimes these measurements are fair and others, well, not so much. Here are four GMs I think, for the most part, get a rough ride when they don’t really deserve it.
Glen Sather, NYR – For whatever overspending mistakes he’s made in the past, the Rangers GM has been doing something right in recent years. After the lockout, New York focused in on the draft more than the free agent market and that’s left them with players such as Marc Staal, Artem Anisimov, Derek Stepan and Michael Del Zotto.
Give all the credit you will to director of player personnel Gordie Clark and the rest of New York’s talent evaluators, because they deserve it. But you can’t completely overlook the GM’s decision to make those hires and zoom in on this part of the business - there's nothing wrong with knowing when and where to delegate. Sather is still spending from time to time, but when you run a big-market team it’s a strength you have to throw around, so long as you’re not overdoing it. And he no longer is.
While Wojtek Wolski hasn’t worked out at all, Sather’s dealing of Michal Rozsival and his $5-million cap hit to Phoenix last season showed a confidence in his young defense corps that is paying off. With most of their important players signed for a number of years, the Rangers’ breakthrough has set them up with a nice window in which to win. The only real way you can still slight Sather, it seems, is if there is some underlying grudge being held.
Brian Burke, TOR – It all started with the Phil Kessel-Tyler Seguin trade. Burke was supposed to build slowly through the draft and by making such an aggressive move he was setting the franchise back. Of course, Toronto is now playing some exciting hockey that has the city buzzing and the team battling for a playoff spot from a better position than any other post-lockout year. Would they be doing that with Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton? No way. This trade, whether you like it or not, accelerated the team’s push to the post-season. Plus, Burke has made many other great trades (Dion Phaneuf, Joffrey Lupul).
Say what you will about prognostications for the long haul, but isn’t it all about winning? The randomness of picks and prospects is lost on the fact the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks have done so well with that formula, even if the Columbus Blue Jackets and Florida Panthers have failed so miserably at it over the past decade-plus. And it’s not as though Burke is abandoning the draft. The Maple Leafs pour tons of resources into their scouting staff because it is a necessary route to winning, but it’s far from the be-all and end-all.
Now, I’m sure much of the Burke hatred stems from the fact his personality in the media is rather gruff. Unfortunately, he doesn’t always say or do the things people want him to do, but that’s hardly a reason to knock his job as boss of the Leafs. Toronto has decent chips to trade and you know Burke isn’t afraid to make the big splash, which is another reason why he’s one of the best in the business. You play to win and if acquiring a scorer means you lose a couple draft picks, so be it. And any mention of Colton Orr’s four-year, $4-million deal as reason Burke’s theories are outdated needs some serious perspective.
Jay Feaster, CGY – I gave kudos to the Flames GM in mid-January for his move to acquire Mike Cammalleri for many of the reasons I listed with Burke. Quite simply, if Feaster had the mandate from ownership to rebuild when he was hired, it would have started long ago. Clearly, that’s not what he’s there for at this time, so there’s little point in railing him for trying to win.
Garth Snow, NYI – How’s this for contradiction? On one hand, people berate Burke for not building through the draft with patience. On the other, Snow gets berated for not getting immediate results for building through the draft.
Again it’s the Pittsburgh/Chicago scenario that has many expecting too much, too soon. If one thing is for sure, Snow hasn’t greatly deviated from this gradual approach to a climb back to relevancy and at some point it might pay off. The acquisitions of Evgeni Nabokov and Brian Rolston run counter to that plan, but they were low-risk gambles on players the team hoped would give its youngsters a push.
The Islanders haven’t been a big player in unrestricted free agency, but that’s partly because of ownership and also because Snow is beginning to get results. One or two UFA signings wouldn’t have been enough to get this team over the hump and may have hurt more than helped (look at the Sabres). The Islanders are still rather brutal, but the fact players such as John Tavares are finding their footing is a promising development.
There’s always something to knock a GM for, but nobody’s perfect. That’s life. That’s sports. There are a handful of GMs (Scott Howson, Pierre Gauthier) who have made countless personnel decisions that have left their teams in dire straights, but the above four don’t fall into that category.
Sabres coach Ruff misses practice day after breaking ribs in on-ice collision
John Wawrow, The Associated Press, Feb. 07, 2012
The pain from three broken ribs was too much to allow Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff to attend practice Tuesday. It wasn't enough to prevent Ruff from cracking a few jokes.
“He still has his sense of humour,” assistant coach James Patrick said. “He was telling jokes in the hospital yesterday. He told the nurse that he had to cancel his dance lesson.”
Ruff's dancing and coaching days are on hold a day after he was upended by defenseman Jordan Leopold in an on-ice collision during practice.
General manager Darcy Regier listed Ruff as day to day, while announcing that Patrick is taking over on an interim basis. That includes the possibility of Patrick coaching the Sabres in their home game against Boston on Wednesday.
Still in severe pain, having difficulty speaking and unable to get much sleep, Ruff stayed home, leaving Patrick to run practice. Ruff was strong enough to hold an early morning conference call with his staff. And the assistant coaches are planning to hold another meeting with Ruff at his home later in the day.
“Based on this morning, it's certainly very painful. He was in a lot of pain,” Regier said. “But he was in good spirits”
Though there's a possibility Ruff will be able to attend the game Wednesday, it's unlikely he'll be behind the bench. Regier expressed concern that Ruff's movements are limited as a result of the injury, which would make it difficult for him to avoid an errant puck.
The 51-year-old Ruff was hurt late in practice during a puck-chase drill when Leopold was trying to cut off forward Ville Leino. Ruff was standing in the middle of the ice looking the other way when Leopold lost his footing and went sliding head first on his stomach and crashed into the back of his coach's skates.
Ruff fell backward and landed on his right side with a heavy thud. He was in pain as he was escorted off the ice, and spent much of the afternoon being treated at a hospital before being released.
Several onlookers said Ruff was fortunate his head didn't strike the ice when he fell.
Ruff's injury is the latest bizarre twist to occur in a Sabres season in which very little has gone right. A rash of injuries have forced every player but captain Jason Pominville to miss at least one game leaving the Sabres (22-24-6) sitting in 13th place in the Eastern Conference.
“Shake your head,” Pominville said. “I mean, throughout the season, you expect to have players miss practices and stuff like that. But to have a coach not out there because of an injury during practice is a first. I've never seen it happen.”
Ruff wasn't the only NHL coach to get hurt on Monday. The Edmonton Oilers lost 6-3 at Toronto without coach Tom Renney, who stayed at the team hotel after being struck in the head by puck during the morning skate.
Saying, “Misery enjoys company,” Regier said Ruff received a sympathetic text from Renney.
Patrick is prepared to take over as coach for as long as necessary. He's a former NHL defenseman, who is in his sixth season as a Sabres assistant.
“We're going to prepare the team like normal,” Patrick said. “We're going to do everything we can to get ready to win a game tomorrow. And if (Ruff) isn't behind the bench, we're confident that we can handle it.”
The Sabres are at least staying close to home, playing eight of their next nine games in Buffalo.
In his 14th season with the Sabres, Ruff is the team's winningest and longest-serving coach. He last missed a game in March 2006, when he stayed home in Buffalo to be with his daughter Madeleine, who was ill.
In speaking to Ruff, Patrick can tell how difficult it is for him to be away from his team.
“It's killing him,” said Patrick, who was a teammate of Ruff's with the New York Rangers. “It's killing him because he is the pulse and the heartbeat of our team. He's our leader. He's in a lot of pain, but he feels sick that he can't be here.”
Patrick knew Ruff was seriously hurt when he remained on the ice and had a team trainer tend to him.
“I thought he was kidding for about the first 5-7 seconds,” Patrick said. “And then when he wasn't getting up, I said, `Holy smokes, that's got to be painful because he is as tough as there is.”
Winter Classic about to go big in Michigan for 2013
James Mirtle, Globe and Mail, Feb. 07, 2012
The big game at The Big House is a done deal.
The NHL will officially announce Thursday in Detroit that the 2013 Winter Classic will feature the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs and take place at the home of the University of Michigan football team in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The game is guaranteed to set the league’s single-game attendance record with more than 100,000 in the stands, breaking the mark of 71,217 set at the first Winter Classic in Buffalo in 2008.
The only remaining hurdle had been for the university to approve a lease agreement, something that took place at a public meeting Wednesday morning.
Roughly an hour after that meeting took place, the NHL sent out a press release with details of Thursday’s dual press conferences at Comerica Park and Michigan Stadium.
The event is also expected to include an outdoor alumni game between former Red Wings and Maple Leafs players and a tournament between OHL teams, both of which would be held at Comerica prior to the main game on Jan. 1 or 2.
It will be the first Winter Classic to involve a Canadian team and only the second between Original Six teams.
Time to recognize Bylsma
Sean Gordon, Globe and Mail, Feb. 08, 2012
With apologies to Bill Maher, let us define a few New Rules this morning.
Rule the first: in any discussion about pro hockey’s cleverest men, Penguins coach Dan Bylsma must be among the first three names mentioned.
Not only because he has managed to keep his team among the conference elite despite a raft of injuries that would make many grown men cry and consign lesser teams to a season of misery and bottom feeding - like these guys, for example.
No, Bylsma’s true genius is in getting the most out of marginal players (Dustin Jeffrey? Joe Vitale?) and creating an environment that has enabled a couple of the best young players in the game to mature and flourish.
Evgeni Malkin, who people tend to forget is only 25 years old, has blossomed into the Crosby-less NHL’s best player this season, and Bylsma deserves some of the credit.
Look no further than Tuesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens, a cagily-played affair that saw centre Tomas Plekanec and defensive pair Josh Gorges and P.K. Subban in Malkin’s socks for much of the game.
Byslma had said prior to the game that Malkin and his linemates have gotten used to special treatment from the opposition, and hinted that he’d try and exploit situational mismatches to get them some more room out there.
So it was seven minutes into the third period, when Bylsma called his second line - who had been matched up with Gorges, Subban and the Habs’ top line - back to the bench and threw Malkin’s group out.
The Habs managed to get Plekanec and his linemates on the ice, but by then Subban and Gorges had gone for a breather and the defensive pairing was Hal Gill (who doesn’t do well against speed) and Yannick Weber (who is just flat out brutal in his own end).
Presto, James Neal scored the 2-2 equalizer after Malkin’s feed from behind the net was deflected into his path by Plekanec.
Malkin then scored a swanky spinarama goal in the shootout, which the Pens would eventually lose (Plekanec scored the decisive goal, and appears to be emerging at last from his season-long lethargy).
But without Bylsma’s quick thinking, it’s an open question whether they get that overtime point, which allowed Pittsburgh to keep pace with New Jersey, who have one less regulation win (this could matter in deciding the final seedings).
Good teams get something out of games they have no right to win - and after Lars Eller's no-look goal, it looked like the hockey gods were going to side with the Habs.
Another key factor in the Pens’ recent run of success: the presence of 24-year-old defenceman Kristopher Letang, who gives them another dimension on the back end, and who has also bloomed under Bylsma’s tutelage.
The Pens are 6-2-1 since Letang returned to the lineup, and have put together a 9-2-1 string since Jan. 11.
Speaking of Letang, aren’t the criticisms leveled at him when he was younger (cocky, mouthy, selfish, mistake-prone) pretty much exactly the same ones leveled at another 22-year-old defenceman we know?
A couple of years later, and Letang is in the conversation for the Norris trophy, or he would be had a concussion not interrupted his season.
Disco Dan knows what he's doing, gang, and has single-handedly removed the injury bug as an excuse for under-performing in the NHL. We're big fans of the job he's done.
Flames' Brodie not taking NHL job for granted
Vicki Hall, Calgary Herald, February 8, 2012
SAN JOSE, CALIF. — In spite of his lengthy stay in the bigs, T.J. Brodie is not about to declare his occupation as full-time player in the National Hockey League.
Not when a trip back to the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Heat is only a phone call away.
“It’s nice to be up here,” Brodie said softly in a quiet moment on the road with the Calgary Flames. “Obviously, it’s still important that I play well every day and come to work every day. Even though I’ve been here three or four months, know I can still be sent down at any time.
“I guess that’s a good thing to keep me going. I know I have to come out and play good every night.”
Rookie defencemen generally don’t play well every night in the NHL. Growing pains — and embarrassing moments — just come with the job, especially for offensive-minded blue-liners.
The smooth-skating Brodie is one of them.
“He has come a long way,” head coach Brent Sutter said in advance of Wednesday night’s clash with the San Jose Sharks. “When we first brought him up, he was obviously really excited. And yet he was a rookie. Raw.
“He was very exuberant when he first came in. A lot of excitement and that kind of stuff. I think that works for a period of time. But then after a while you have to play against some top-end players, and you have to make some adjustments in your game.”
Those adjustments include the installation of an internal traffic light. Green is go. Red is stop. Amber is caution.
And sometimes, life in the NHL is more like driving in rush hour than cruising in the middle of the night.
“On every rush, you don’t just take off with the puck,” Sutter said. “You might be able to do that against certain players. But against certain players, you can’t.
“The one thing we’ve never done as coaching staff — and I wouldn’t want us to do — is to hold him back. He’s got to continue to let the offensive side of his game grow.”
As a second-year pro, Brodie, 21, has a much better handle on creating that fine balance.
A fourth-round entry draft pick of the Flames in 2008, Brodie shocked onlookers in his first professional training camp by cracking the 2010-11 opening-day roster. He played in three games for Calgary before former general manager Darryl Sutter sent him to Abbotsford for seasoning under former Heat head coach Jim Playfair.
By January, acting general manager Jay Feaster publicly chastised the youngster for not respecting the level of play in the AHL. To that end, Playfair banished the youngster to the press box for one game as a healthy scratch.
“I had coaches who had been hard on me before,” Brodie said of his time working for Playfair. “It’s not anything personal. It’s just the way they coach and the way they get their point across. Once you figure out the message that they’re trying to send, it makes it a lot easier. You just have to know that it’s not that he doesn’t like you or anything. “
At the beginning of this season, Brodie failed to impress in training camp and went back to Abbotsford for more development. He played 12 games for the Heat before receiving the call from Calgary on Nov. 9.
In 39 games with the Flames, Brodie has collected two goals and 11 points. Defensively, he sits at minus-1.
“He’s really smart guy,” said his blue-line partner, Cory Sarich.”He skates well. In today’s game, that’s an absolute asset.
“He seems confident with the puck. He’s not afraid to make plays. That’s a great thing to have when you’re young. That’s kind of the way you need to approach the game. You need to go out there and try to make a difference.
“He’s not just trying to survive games without making mistakes.”
Just last week. Brodie’s dad Jay took a break from his two full-time jobs (farmer and compression operator for Union Gas) to drive his son’s truck to Calgary from Abbotsford.
But Brodie realizes he can’t assume there won’t be a return trip through the Rocky Mountains on Highway 1.
“Each game, I get a little bit more comfortable,” he said. “Each game, I learn something new to help me out. I’m just trying to improve and get better each day, and with that comes confidence.
“You know what you can do out there. You know your limits.”
Ilya Bryzgalov all business
James Mirtle, Globe and Mail, Feb. 08, 2012
This was not the Ilya Bryzgalov audiences saw on HBO.
There were no funny quips about the size of the universe, no anecdotes about endangered tigers on liquor bottles, or goofy grins for no apparent reason at all.
Just one sullen, 31-year-old goaltender faced with another day of questions – this time about his inability to stop much of anything in shootouts – after the Philadelphia Flyers’ 1-0 loss to the lowly New York Islanders a night earlier.
“Fire your questions guys,” Bryzgalov said softly, as the throng gathered around for an uncomfortable 3 1/2-minute session after Wednesday’s practice.
This was question No. 2, which set the tone: Given his past success with the Phoenix Coyotes and struggles in Philadelphia, is success in a shootout simply about having confidence?
“Yeah probably,” he offered. “I don’t know. Maybe there’s better shooters. I don’t know.”
Life hasn’t been particularly sunny in Philadelphia for either the Flyers or their goalie since they made their high-profile appearance on 24/7 as part of the annual Winter Classic spotlight.
After all, they were 15-7-3 before HBO’s cameras invaded the dressing room and then won five games in a row immediately thereafter, standing first in the Eastern Conference.
But since an ugly 6-0 loss at home to the Boston Bruins midway through the run of the series, the Flyers are only 10-9-4 and have fallen much closer to a pack of teams fighting to make the playoffs.
One of those is the Toronto Maple Leafs, their opponent on Thursday, who can move to within three points of the Flyers with a regulation win.
Now, to pin all of that subtle slide on Bryzgalov wouldn’t be fair. This is a team missing its captain, Chris Pronger, for the rest of the season with a concussion and one where the turnover has been considerable throughout the roster.
Then again, Bryzgalov is Philadelphia’s $51-million (U.S.) man, playing under a behemoth contract that includes $10-million this season alone. And seven months in, that nine-year deal has become a bit of a humbling millstone for the eccentric Russian.
The press in Philadelphia aren’t known for being all that forgiving. Not in a town with a reputation as a goalie graveyard and not when Bryzgalov’s arrival came just as high-profile stars Mike Richards and Jeff Carter were shipped out.
Bryzgalov’s quirky antics during his team’s skid, meanwhile, didn’t sit all that well with the team. It came to a head after his infamous rant before the Winter Classic, when he spilled the beans he wouldn’t be starting and called the decision “good news” because his team would “have a chance to win the game.”
Soon after, it’s believed the struggling goalie had a quiet heart-to-heart with his no-nonsense head coach, Peter Laviolette, and some ground rules were laid.
Bryzgalov’s meetings with the media have since been uncharacteristically mild, with the goalie avoiding the type of oddball conversations he’s been known for.
The “good news” these days, however, is this all-business Bryzgalov has been remarkably better than the other version, posting a 5-3-3 record, 2.29 goals-against average and .921 save percentage since the Winter Classic on Jan. 1.
Even so, tough recent outings against the Bruins and New York Rangers have given the critics more fodder. Bryzgalov allowing the only two shots he faced in a shootout against the Islanders didn’t help, either, especially with Evgeni Nabokov stealing a win at the other end while earning 17.5-times less in salary than his countryman.
Bryzgalov has now made just two saves in shootouts all season, giving him an 0-4 record and league-worst .200 save percentage – and another opportunity for nitpicking by the press corps Wednesday.
“You know, like, to be honest, I feel right now doing the shootout, it’s like a soccer net behind me,” Bryzgalov said. “Everything I do goes slower or they’re faster or … I don’t know.
“It’s not [playing in] the East or West; it’s here in the head. Fix the shootout part in my head, and it’s going to be fine.”
Maybe so. But just don’t expect the old Bryzgalov to come out any time soon.
Bruins looks less threatening after getting trounced by the underdogs
Sean Gordon, Globe and Mail, Feb. 09, 2012
This one’s for all the pigeon-chested, four-eyed weaklings who ever had a “what I really should have done” moment.
It’s for everyone who’s ever had the town bully steal their pizza money and experienced a revenge fantasy worthy of a Quentin Tarantino movie.
That’s right, Ryan Miller and the 12th-placed Buffalo Sabres laid a bare-bum spanking on the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins.
Everyone remembers the original incident, where Milan Lucic steamrolled Miller. The Sabres responded to that night by going deep into the tank (9-18-5) and blowing any chance they had at a playoff run.
But that will matter a tiny bit less now.
So you want to run our goalie, Milan? Here’s a little 6-0 action for your face – oh, and sorry about the disallowed goal that was perfectly fine.
Karma’s a drag, eh?
Now, it would have been a better lesson for all you kids out there if the Sabres had been able to exact revenge for the incident that sent them into a three-month tailspin (Lucic steamrolling Ryan Miller in November) in more Gandhi-esque fashion.
That’s to say without the tomfoolery of cartoonish winger Patrick Kaleta, as disagreeable and repugnant a character as there is in the NHL.
Kaleta ran around all night, shoving Zdeno Chara into goalie Tim Thomas (who came on in relief of Tuukka Rask), creating a huge scrum at the end of the game (during which Lucic cross-checked him in the melon), and even engaging in fisticuffs with Miller’s tormentor – which is still as pointless an exercise as it’s ever been.
On the plus side, he also scored a goal, always the preferred method for seeking retribution.
So bully for the Sabres, even if they had to resort to bully tactics, at least in part, to get theirs.
The broader point, of course, is that the Bruins, who looked as scary as they ever have in November, December and a chunk of January, are clearly running out of steam.
Boston is a Habs-esque 5-6-1 in its last 12 games, and hasn’t won two straight games in a month.
It’s really, really hard to have a great season after going to the Stanley Cup finals, what with all the psychic energy expended and the 100-plus games that are required to get there.
While Boston’s playoff spot isn’t threatened, they clearly don’t intimidate the pencil-necked geeks in the rest of the league quite as much anymore.
And maybe that’s the real revelation from Wednesday’s game.
I appreciate all of the information on the site. After reading Tom's post yesterday about having others contribute more I decided to jump in.
Here is an interesting read and video about the day in the life of a basketball player.
http://developyourbballiq.com/jeremy-lin-and-putting-in-work/
I deal with many kids that want to move to the next level in hockey whether it be college, junior,AAA or NHL. I watch these kids say the right things and most of the time work very hard. Videos like this show kids the work that must go in to becoming an elite level player. Jeremy Lin is an Asian- American who went to Harvard. Not the typical route to the NBA. He was an undrafted player who has shown through hard work, skills and believing in yourself anything can happen.
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Pioneer, thanks for the contribution. Good stuff. Great to send just the link so we don't trample on any copyrights.
Tom
Rugby coaching tips for instilling game sense
Coaching your players so they have a better understanding of rugby is not just about playing games at rugby training sessions. There are four fundamental principles you need to adopt in order to make sure your players learn "game sense" as they practise and play.
Game sense
•Your players need to be clear what aspect of the game you are focusing on.
•You need to condition the rugby training game to give the players the maximum opportunity to practise the rugby skill you are focusing on in your coaching session.
•You need to observe players carefully. Again, focusing on the rugby skill you've chosen to practise.
•The majority of the time must be spent playing the game but you must have breaks to talk to the players.
Games into practice: a case study
Let's say you want to focus the rugby coaching session on ball retention in contact, specifically ball presentation in the tackle.
•Play a six-a-side full contact game in a 10m wide channel. The limited space should mean lots of tackles, and lots of opportunities for you to observe your players performing the rugby skill being practised.
•Let the teams play for around two minutes at a time, spending only about 30 seconds speaking to them between each section of play.
•When you do talk to your players, focus only on improving their ball presentation. Don't worry about the tackler or the support players unless their actions have affected the ball presentation.
•The game should be quite intense, due to the high number of contact situations, so you might find shorter bursts of play and more rests are necessary.
•If you have enough players, rotate the teams for each section of play. This will give all your players the chance to have a rest.
•The resting players can observe and feedback on what they see.
To receive more rugby coaching advice, games and drills, subscribe to Rugby Coach Weekly, a journal aimed at new coaches and coaches of new and inexperienced players. Click here to find out more.
To read more about coaching your support players to develop game intelligence, so they can make the right decisions in a game, click here.
Invasion Sports & Game Sense' – Their relevance to young footballers
By Mark Neeld, Head Coach Western Jets FC (TAC Cup) and Coordinator of Health & Physical Education Geelong College Preparatory School
Background to Invasion Sports
Simply put, an invasion sport is a game between two opponents, one an attacker and one a defender, where the space of one team is ‘invaded’ by the other. Common sports that fall into this category include; Australian Rules, soccer, basketball, hockey and netball.
In their basic form the strategies of all these sports are quite similar. The role of the defending team is to slow up the ball movement of the attackers and attempt to get the ball back. The attackers’ job is to maintain possession of the ball and get it into a position where a score can be attempted.
With ‘decision making’ and ‘execution of skills under pressure’ at the top of every AFL recruiters’ checklist it is vital that all young footballers be given exposure to a variety of invasion sports. If time is not available to join other sporting clubs or codes it is possible within a football club to provide such experiences.
Training 'Game Sense' in Training Sessions
In essence what the ‘Game Sense’ philosophy is trying to achieve is to provide opportunities for players to become more tactically aware and be educated in how a game is actually played. It also provides a realistic environment where players are able to practise and improve their skills under game-like conditions.
Yes skill technique is extremely important however, it is best taught in isolation, perhaps through the use of ‘skill cards’. Traditional ‘skill only’ football training does not take into account factors that effect skill execution such as; selection of what type of pass to use, deception of a defender or being tackled or chased.
The use of correct skill is not ignored in game sense training rather it is incorporated into the activities planned by the coaching staff. Players have a far better chance of making good decisions and displaying good skills in a game if they have previously practised them in a similar environment.
Game Sense v Practice Match
It is naive to think that playing practice matches at training is following the game sense philosophy. Game sense is also about practicing parts of the game in isolation. For example a simple 4 v 4 stoppage activity or a 5 v 3 activity to practice outnumbering the opposition at the contest will serve a far greater purpose than an 18 v 18 game with one ball where the mid fielders dominate.
True game sense activities need to be played in confined space with small-sided teams. It is suggested that the teams be no greater than 6. This is to ensure that all players are given the chance to participate and therefore improve. The activities should go for no more than 7-10mins (remember it is practicing components of the game).
The rules of each individual activity are the domain of the coach. They can be adapted to suit the team’s game style and to practice areas that need improvement. The key is that the coach becomes the facilitator in that, once the situation has been created let the players solve the problems and make the decisions. As new skills are attempted, or need refining, it is here that skill instruction can take place.
The Questioning Technique
To produce educated young footballers it is vital that the coach employ very good questioning techniques. Game Sense Invasion Games provide an excellent opportunity to provide immediate meaningful feedback. The coach must move away from ‘the barracking’ feedback and towards the ‘instructional feedback’. It is not the role of the coach to solve all problems. Remember that the players are out there and you are on the sidelines.
Open-ended questions should be used to compliment this approach. This promotes thinking among the players and this will also result in learning. Some examples of appropriate questions are: How can you make it more difficult for your opponent to score? Is it better to run and carry the ball in that situation or deliver the ball immediately? Where can you position yourself to be of benefit to the team? Where can you run to assist your team in scoring a goal?
Coaching the Modern Student
It is worth remembering that the young footballers of today have had a completely different educational experience than that of many coaches. Young people have been educated in an environment where many things are negotiated, discussed and left to them to make choices. They are encouraged to explore, experiment and it is explained to them that mistakes will certainly occur and that is fine provided you learn something from them.
Game Sense is a training technique that embraces the modern society that we currently live in. Some young people find it difficult to adapt to sporting environments where everything is given to them, someone else sets all the rules and they have had no input. Game sense empowers players and helps them take more responsibility for their own football development.
Kai, I think the statement about today's athlete is really important. Schools have changed from the 'Command Style' of 'Drill and Practice' to 'Wholistic Learning' which is much more collaborative. Schools are no longer places where the information is 'poured in' and the students memorize and regurgitate.
The Educational Systems in most countries changed to this style in the late 1960's but most coaches are NOT educators and use the 'command style' of drill and practice that their coaches used.
This style of teaching is foreign to the athletes they are coaching and they are not used to simply being Told what to do. They want to understand Why they are doing what the the coach is asking and want to be involved in the decision making.
TomM
Very good posting.
Coaching the Modern Student
It is worth remembering that the young footballers of today have had a completely different educational experience than that of many coaches. Young people have been educated in an environment where many things are negotiated, discussed and left to them to make choices. They are encouraged to explore, experiment and it is explained to them that mistakes will certainly occur and that is fine provided you learn something from them.
Game Sense is a training technique that embraces the modern society that we currently live in. Some young people find it difficult to adapt to sporting environments where everything is given to them, someone else sets all the rules and they have had no input. Game sense empowers players and helps them take more responsibility for their own football development.
White Towel: Nolan Baumgartner's years as pro player ‘gone so fast’
Jim Jamieson, The Province, February 20, 2012
It might not be the life Nolan Baumgartner envisioned for himself when he started his professional hockey career, but it’s turned out pretty well.
Really well, actually. You could call it Baumer’s Excellent Adventure.
Drafted in the first round by Washington in 1994, Baumgartner could never quite stick in the NHL, but he’s had a remarkable career at the minor league level and on Friday in Chicago as a member of the Canucks’ AHL farm club will be recognized for playing his 1,000th pro game.
It’s a journey that includes 143 NHL games — 70 of which were with the Canucks in his only full year in the NHL — 16 seasons, 10 cities and countless memories. Most of them, by the way, are good.
“It’s gone so fast,” said the player most everyone knows as ‘Baumer.’ “To think it’s 16 years already that I’ve been playing and it’s gone so fast. You hear every guy say that, but it’s true.
“The way I look at it, pretty much everything I have in my life right now I owe to the game of hockey. I met my wife because I was playing hockey, I own a house, I have a child. It’s not just a pretty good life, it’s a really good life. You get paid to go out there and play a game. Not too many people can say they have a job like that.”
Baumgartner, who turns 36 on March 23, is captain of the Chicago Wolves.
He was also captain of the Kamloops Blazers, where he won back-to-back Memorial Cups in junior, Canada’s world junior team with whom he won back-to-back gold medals, at Norfolk and twice for the Manitoba Moose in the AHL.
Just about anybody he’s played with or been coached by talks about the leadership and work ethic that Baumgartner brings.
Those are traits that coaches love, because they rub off all through the lineup.
“The best compliment I can give Nolan is that he was born to be a hockey player,” said Mike Keane, who played three seasons with Baumgartner on the Moose at the end of a long, distinguished NHL career.
“Obviously, everyone dreams about the big picture, playing in the NHL, but he absolutely loves the game. He cares about his teammates, he cares about wins and losses, he’ll play hurt. It’s all those things I learned from Larry Robinson, Bob Gainey, Guy Carbonneau, players who know all about the way the game should be played.”
Vancouver Giants head coach Don Hay coached Baumgartner with the WHL Kamloops Blazers in the mid-1990s.He said the youngster oozed leadership from the moment he showed up in Kamloops as a 16-year-old.
Canucks defenceman Kevin Bieksa who broke in as a pro in 2004-5 with the Moose in Manitoba said Baumgartner helped him make the transition from college hockey.
“Just watching him — and he was our captain and our best D-man that year — and he was a guy that I looked up to,” said Bieksa.
“He was a great leader on the ice, he said the right things in the dressing room, he blocked shots in a 5-0 game.
“For me, coming from college and not really knowing much about the pro game, to watch him, how professional he was, always on time, always working his butt off, respectful of everybody, he was great role model for me.”
Baumgartner credits his parents, Dennis and Brenda, for a no-nonsense upbringing in Calgary.
“They were hard-working people and I’m an only child and I grew up with them teaching me the values of hard work, that nothing is ever given to you,” he says.
“If I wanted a new hockey stick I had to work for it.”
Baumgartner knows he hasn’t been a prospect for a while and embraces the mentor role. But don’t think he’s given up on his NHL dream, even now.
“I think you always have to have the belief in yourself and in your skill set that you can still play the game at the highest level,” said Baumgartner.
“I still believe that if I were to get called up today that I could step into the lineup tomorrow and I’d be OK. You’re a competitor and you compete to be at the highest level so if you’re not doing that then why are you playing the game?”
Baumgartner had a rough start to his pro career, missing all but eight games in the 1996-97 season, with surgery on both shoulders.
His time in the Washington organization was up after four seasons and just 18 NHL games.
But the time there was notable in a much larger way. It was where he met his wife, currently of nine years, Elizabeth.
“I met her in Annapolis when a couple of us got called up for the playoffs in 1998, the year Washington went to the final,” said Baumgartner.
It’s hard to know what was more interesting for Baumgartner — that Elizabeth’s family had no familiarity with hockey or that her father, Philip Anselmo was a U.S. Navy Rear Admiral who once was commander of the iconic USS Constellation.
“It’s kind of funny going into that situation where somebody doesn’t really know much about the game,” said Baumgartner.
What did the Admiral think about his daughter dating a hockey player?
“I don’t think he was sure about me at first, but I think I won him over after a couple of days,” laughed Baumgartner.
Baumgartner and Elizabeth, along with their 21-month-old son Jake, now make their permanent off-season home in Winnipeg, where he played seven seasons in three separate stints with the Canucks’ AHL farm club. They own a house and have put down roots in the community.
“We’ve got a lot of friends outside of hockey there,” he said.
“It’s a great place to raise a family.”
How long will he keep playing? Hay called Baumgartner in the summer and offered him a job as an assistant coach with the Giants. Baumgartner politely declined.
He’s still got some hockey to play.
“It was very surprising and nice to know he thought of me, but I’m just not ready for that side of it yet,” said Baumgartner.
“I feel great. I really think I’ve got a few more years. You always hear that you shouldn’t stop playing until you have to because you’ll miss it when it’s gone. I’m having way too much fun being a player.”
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I coached against Nolan when he was a minor bantam. The next year, he played Midget AAA as an underage. He was an awesome skater and had a great skill set. His dad still works at a local rink and I run into Dennis once in a while. Nice to see Nolan is still doing well!
Jeff Schultz: Before I Made It
With Kevin Kennedy, Then Hockey News, 2012-02-18
Near where I grew up in Calgary, Alberta there was a lake that froze over in the winter right in the city. I remember pushing the chair around the ice and I guess that’s where it all got started for me. My mom played field hockey and my dad was always my coach growing up so I guess they both got me into hockey. They were really active and it was something that we could do as a family, which was really good. Having dad as your coach could’ve put added pressure on me, but I always felt lucky to have my father behind the bench. On the way home in the car my dad would give me advice. As the coach, he saw everything that happened, he was a positive criticism kind of guy which was good because I’d rather hear it from him than from a stranger.
As a kid I liked Al MacInnis because of his big slap shot and because he was on the Flames. I always tried to have the best slap shot and I always wore No. 2 in minor hockey. My best memory from playing hockey when I was young was when I played on a summer hockey team and we went to Minnesota for a tournament. I remember loading up the car and driving down and you’re in the hotel with all the guys fooling around. You get to play all these different teams you’ve never played before, which was awesome.
I’d say Kraft dinner was my standard pre-game meal when I was a kid. I’d maybe even throw in a few chicken nuggets for some protein. You know, you always think of pasta for a pre-game meal and the first thing that came to my mind was Kraft dinner.
The most prized possession I had when I was a kid was when I got the first Easton Synergy that came out. It was so expensive and I didn’t want it to break, so I remember there would be some nicks and scratches on it and I’d get the super glue out to make it last a couple more games. I babied that thing.
I always wanted to be a professional golfer when I was younger. I used to practice and play golf a lot. There was a time when I had to make a decision on whether to play hockey or golf and I was a little bit better at hockey and being from Canada it seemed like hockey was the way to go and here I am.
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Jeff is another local kid who I watched come up through the local MHA. He was tall for his age and played for the WHL Hitmen.
Vokoun's agent upset with Hunter
John ShannonSportsnet.ca, February 23, 2012
As if the Washington Capitals didn't have enough problems.
Now, the agent of starting goaltender Tomas Vokoun isn't happy with Capitals head coach Dale Hunter.
Following the team's disappointing 5-2 loss in Ottawa Wednesday, Hunter singled out the poor performance of Vokoun as the key reason for the team's recent skid.
"They jumped on us, (Tomas) would like a few of them back," Hunter told the local media after Vokoun allowed four goals on his first 11 shots.. "He wasn't as sharp as he should have been, and it's in the back of our net. We need some big stops early, that's part of the game.
"Tonight we played a good, solid road game and we lose," Hunter said. "Goaltending is a big part of the game and we need good goaltending."
In response, Vokoun's agent Allan Walsh released the following statement:
"I'm not going to comment directly on what someone may have said after a game. I will point out though that hockey's great coaches throughout history never resorted to publicly singling out a particular player, blaming him for a loss. Where I come from, you win as a team and lose as a team. The oldest, most tired excuse in the book is to blame the goalie."
Vokoun was signed to a one-year, $1.5 million deal in the summer to help stabilize Washington's goalie situation.
It was a relationship that didn't start well in October after the veteran goaltender brought his whole family up from Florida to watch him start opening night, only to be told the day of the game by then coach Bruce Boudreau that he wouldn't be starting.
This is nothing new for Walsh. He has come to the defence of his clients in the past, such as Minnesota Wild winger Pierre Marc Bouchard, and Columbus Blue Jackets centre Derek Brassard.
The Capitals currently sit 10th place in the Eastern Conference and are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games.
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Hmmmm... and minor hockey coaches thought dealing with parents was hard... CHL and NCAA and NHL coaches have to deal with 'surrogate parents'!
As my grandpa used to say, "Nothin' goes right when your underwear is too tight". Losing amplifies problems; winning smoothes things over...
Leafs not responding to goalie guru Francois Allaire
Michael Traikos, National Post, Feb 23, 2012
In his third season as the goaltending consultant for the Toronto Maple Leafs, with the team once again one of the worst at preventing goals, is Francois Allaire’s reputation in danger?
Of his impact on the game, there is no debate. He is credited for being the NHL’s first goalie coach, for furthering the development of the butterfly style and for helping Patrick Roy become a Hall of Fame goaltender.
Brian Burke calls him a guru. His students call him the “best goalie coach in the world.” But in his third season as the goaltending consultant for the Toronto Maple Leafs, with the team once again one of the worst at preventing goals, is François Allaire’s reputation in danger?
After all, if Jonas Gustavsson (16-12-2, .905 save percentage) and James Reimer (11-8-4, .903 save percentage) are struggling to stop the puck, then surely their coach and his methodology also share in the blame.
“Not in my mind he doesn’t,” Reimer said. “If you look at his track record and the goalies he’s coached, the proof is in the pudding. I think it’s more on the goalies, not the coach.”
Allaire’s résumé would seem to back up that assertion. From Roy and Jean-Sébastien Giguère, to Ilya Bryzgalov and Jonas Hiller, Allaire has helped shaped the careers of several of the league’s top goaltenders and has the Stanley Cup rings to prove it. But since he arrived in Toronto in 2009, the man with the Midas touch has been rendered powerless.
Seven different Leafs goaltenders have studied under Allaire. And not one of them has been able to find consistency in net. Maybe, as head coach Ron Wilson suggested the other day, this is a Toronto thing. Or maybe it is a time for the team to go in a different direction.
“I don’t know if it’s something with Frankie,” Gustavsson said. “I’ve been working with François [since] before I came over here and I tried to play that kind of game back home too, the Swedish version of it.”
Allaire’s system is universal. He preaches on playing the percentages. He wants his goalies to block the puck — rather than make a highlight-reel save — by being in the right position at the right time.
When it is working to its fullest effect, Allaire’s goalies appear calm and Zen-like. When it is not working, they appear stiff and non-athletic.
That was certainly how Gustavsson looked the other night, when he allowed four goals on 32 shots in a 4-3 overtime loss to New Jersey. Two goals snuck through his legs. The overtime winner was a point shot that was headed wide before bouncing past Gustavsson like a stone being skipped on rough waters.
Sitting up in the press box, all Allaire could do was watch. At some point, the goaltender has to make the save. And unfortunately for Allaire, that has not happened with much regularity since he arrived to Toronto.
When asked if he was frustrated by the progress of his goaltenders, Allaire shook his head. He knew there were going to be challenges when he was hired by the Leafs. The team he inherited did not have a clear-cut No. 1 or much in the way of blue-chip prospects, and had been ranked last in goals-against average and save percentage.
Still, he was confident that he would be able to turn an average goaltender into a great one by now.
“I think if everybody pushes in the same direction, it’s going to be easy,” Allaire told the National Post when he was hired. “If everyone wants to be better, it’s going to be easy.”
So far, it has been anything but. In the last three seasons, the Leafs have ranked in the bottom five in save percentage and goals-against average.
Some suggest Allaire’s style is outdated, or not compatible to how Reimer or Gustavsson play. But New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who is coached by Allaire’s brother Benoit, plays a similar butterfly style with success. And even before Reimer and Gustavsson arrived in the NHL, they were playing a derivative of Allaire’s system.
“Some goalies aren’t born to play a butterfly or blocking style,” Reimer said. “But it works perfectly for me … I’ve said it many times, if it wasn’t for Frankie I definitely wouldn’t be having the success that I’ve had.”
That success is relative. But with one of the younger goaltending tandems in the league, Allaire is asking fans to be patient. Both Gustavsson and Reimer have shown promise. The challenge is getting them to play with consistency.
“The good news is right now we’ve got two guys who have played over .500 and their save percentage is over .900 and we’re still in the playoffs,” Allaire said. “So we have something going on. We know we need somebody to take the lead and after that everyone will follow. But we’re not at that point right now …
“We’re coming. But we’re not at that point.”
BlackBerry scores with NHL player ‘home movies’
The Canadian Press, Feb. 24, 2012
Their first efforts look a little old home movies, but the NHL Players Association has teamed with BlackBerry to let fans get up close and personal with some hockey stars.
“We created this partnership with BlackBerry to allow the players to film themselves away from the ice, in way that fans couldn't really see before,” said Colin Campbell, director of corporate partnerships for the players' union. “It is an opportunity to show a different side of professional hockey players.”
Five players have been given PlayBooks and are turning into budding directors as they use the built-in HD cameras to record moments in their lives.
The first five videos they produced, with the help of editors at the NHLPA, are already up on playbook.nhlpa.com.
“I think the fans are absolutely going to love it,” says New York Rangers' goaltender Martin Biron, one of the five players given a PlayBook. “It's good to see the everyday life, where the players are.”
Mr. Biron's first effort shows off his new mask.
“You press the screen, you point and shoot and you try to get as much as you can,” he said.
Scott Hartnell of the Philadelphia Flyers has lunch with his brother, Dennis, and family while Bobby Ryan of the Anaheim Ducks is shown snowmobiling, Joffrey Lupul of the Toronto Maple Leafs teaches skating while Michael Grabner of the New York Islanders attended a charity casino.
“I'm a huge electronic geek,” said Mr. Biron. “I love all that new stuff coming out.
“When Colin came into New York with the BlackBerry people and we got to sit down after a game and play around with the tablet, I was having so much fun.”
Mr. Biron also likes the games.
“We got a green light to do whatever we want and we submit as much as we can,” Mr. Biron said, adding he wasn't hot on a suggestion he keep it rolling next week when the trade deadline hits.
“We're playing that day so I don't know I would put the guys in that position,” he said with a chuckle.
Mr. Campbell said the plan is to update the site weekly with new videos until the end of the season.
Washington Capitals’ empire crumbles around them
Bruce Arthur, National Post, Feb 23, 2012
Different teams melt down in different ways. Columbus, long a lonely outpost in the National Hockey League, simply dug its way into an obscurity so deep that the only way out has been to put its finest shovels on the auction block. Montreal has descended into an operatic wreck, in one and sometimes two languages. Tampa Bay has practically vanished into the Florida air, Steven Stamkos notwithstanding.
And then there is Washington, which is imploding like modern American governance, filled with rancor and idiocy and sulking. The Capitals were the best team in the NHL’s Eastern Conference last season; the year before that they won the President’s Trophy with the best record in the league; the year before that they came within a game of toppling the eventual Stanley Cup champions from Pittsburgh.
And today the Capitals are imploding like an old Vegas casino. Their best player is concussed, and more, their best player is not Alexander Ovechkin, who is also struggling with a lower-body injury. The coach they hired out of junior to replace the coach they fired has benched players for their plus-minus, or for taking penalties, and gotten the goaltender’s agent to fire back at him over criticism of the goalie. Oh, and the coach they fired has his Anaheim Ducks on a fine little 15-3-4 run. Not bad.
It’s a stunning sort of collapse, made all the more astounding by the fact that Washington remains on the fringes of the playoff picture, and could even win the demolition derby that is their division. The Capitals are falling, and seem poised to keep falling, but they haven’t dropped yet.
Still, they’re trying. They are 4-7-2 in their last 13, 1-4-1 in their last six, and have stayed two points behind the imploding Toronto Maple Leafs for the eighth spot in the East. The Leafs lost to Montreal; Washington lost to the Rangers. The Leafs lost to Calgary; Washington lost to Tampa Bay. Toronto was drilled by Vancouver and fell to New Jersey; Washington was drilled by East-worst Carolina, and again by Ottawa.
And now the finger-pointing is in full effect, which always helps. Coach Dale Hunter made Roman Hamrlik a healthy scratch because of penalties, and Thursday the veteran defenceman told Washington reporters, “You should ask him about the penalties because when he played I think he make lots of penalties himself. He should know better.” This came on the heels of Hunter’s criticism of goaltender Tomas Vokoun, which prompted agent Allan Walsh to get involved via Twitter, as he is wont to do.
And all of this, of course, paled in comparison to the criticism of Alexander Ovechkin by associate goaltending coach Olaf Kolzig, who told The Washington Post earlier this month that, “He just has to get back to being the way he was in his younger days, and maybe not get wrapped up too much in the rock-star status that comes with being Alex Ovechkin.” Ovechkin tried to blow it off, but general manager George McPhee weighed in by saying, “I don’t disagree with anything that Olie said.”
And with that, the crack at the heart of all this was revealed. That the criticism of Ovechkin came from within the organization seems like a turning point; when he ran short of options then-coach Bruce Boudreau tried benching Ovechkin for a critical shift towards the end of his tenure, but it was too little, too late. Now a McPhee-sanctioned slap on his star player’s attitude, and perhaps even his lifestyle … well, that sounds a lot like an emergency brake being pulled to try to keep the train on the tracks.
But if the emergency brake is being pulled, it may already be too late. At its brief best this was a thrilling outfit — when they won the President’s Trophy they recorded the second-highest scoring season by any team since 1995-96, one goal behind the post-lockout freedom enjoyed by the 2005-06 Ottawa Senators. Ovechkin was the engine, and a joy to watch; Mike Green briefly became one of the finest offensive defencemen in memory; Alex Semin was a 40-goal man. The Capitals were fun.
They are currently 13th in the league in scoring, and tied for 19th in the NHL in standings points garnered per game. The seven-game loss to Pittsburgh was the high water mark, as it turned out. The Capitals were hornswoggled by Jaroslav Halak and the Montreal Canadiens in the first round the very next year, and that was the beginning of the end. Boudreau tried to rein in the firewagon — you could see in the playoffs that Green, who was normally titled forward at all times, was particularly lost somewhere between his natural inclination and the notion of responsibility — and all it produced was a second-round sweep at the hands of Tampa Bay. With their offensive stars and defensive system, the Lightning were already what Washington was trying to become.
After Game 3, when it was clear the end was in sight, the Capitals were a mental mess. Jason Arnott was lamenting giving up too many chances; goalie Michael Neuvirth was lamenting bad luck. Defenceman Karl Alzner was saying “You can’t play too safe, everybody knows that.” Down the hall, Boudreau was saying, “We weren’t supposed to play safe.” There was talk of panic on the ice, which was about right.
Within two months of a new season Ovechkin was a shadow, and Green was hurt, and Boudreau was relieved of his duties. Now Hunter seems to be losing control of a team besieged by injuries — Nicklas Backstrom’s concussion remains a serious concern — and they’re joining the Wizards and the Redskins as Washington laughingstocks.
So while the Capitals may yet make the playoffs, even win their barren division, this feels like the end of a brief empire. After blowing a third-period lead to lose Game 3 against Tampa last year, Backstrom looked forlorn. “We had everything in our hands,” he said, “and then we just gave it away.” It’s not an epitaph for an era yet, but we’re getting there.
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Interesting to see how Dale Hunter, Olaf Kolzig, George McPhee and even Bruce Boudreau (old school / different era) are handling the pressures of coaching / managing in 'today's' NHL. Compare that to Jay Feaster, who just about lost his mind last night during a second intermission interview; threatening to start trading a bunch of vets if they didn't play harder in the third period and again in the last game before the trade deadline! (Not that anybody would trade too much for any of the veteran Flames aside from Iginla and Kipper!) The pressure and pervasive media scrutiny these people - including the players - are under is immense. Glad I am not in it. Times have certainly changed from when the league / teams had all the cards and guys like Gordie Howe only received a team jacket as a signing bonus!
Backchecking: Ron Duguay
Ron Duguay scored 274 goals and 620 points in 860 career NHL games.
David Salter, The Hockey News, 2012-02-25
Standing outside a tiny dressing room at a dingy arena in Sackville, N.S., Ron Duguay looks a little out of place.
With long, feathered hair, tanned skin and a bright smile, he could easily pass for movie star or at the very least an understudy for Jon Bon Jovi.
Dressed in his hockey gear from the waist down with a powder-blue, long-sleeve undershirt covering his upper torso, the former New York Ranger appears fit enough to still play in the NHL. But tonight, the 54-year-old is skating with a team of NHL oldtimers touring the Maritimes.
Those who remember Duguay from his days as a Ranger (or from New York City gossip columns, iconic Sasson jeans ads or Studio 54) would likely say, aside from some lines around his eyes, he hasn’t aged.
Handsome doesn’t do him justice. Ron Duguay is pretty. Still pretty. In fact, Duguay is known as much for his hair – permed through the early stages of his career – as he is for his 12-year NHL career, which is unfair. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound winger was an excellent skater and a tenacious forechecker with offensive flair.
In his sophomore season with the Rangers in 1978-79, Duguay played a key role in leading the Blueshirts to an appearance in the Stanley Cup final. Two years later the Sudbury, Ont., native was good enough to crack Team Canada’s roster (which featured 12 future Hall of Famers) as a checker at the 1981 Canada Cup. Duguay calls the latter experience the highlight of his career.
“The Cup run in ’79 was really exciting as an early pro, to get a feel what it’s like to win,” said Duguay, who lives in Florida after a recent stint back in New York. “A lot of it is experiencing it with a good group of guys. I’ve enjoyed playing with some good groups of guys in New York.
“At different times I felt like 1979 was a highlight for me, but really it was making Team Canada, just making that team. Just look at the lineup. Having experienced that was unbelievable.”
Duguay also listed scoring 40 goals as a Ranger and having some good seasons in Detroit alongside Steve Yzerman among his favorite moments.
After Motown, Duguay also had stints with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings, as well as a second tour of duty with the Rangers – all the while helmetless. He contends vanity was not the reason he eschewed headgear, but that helmets were hot, confining and, at the time, unnecessary.
Duguay would be mandated to don a helmet in today’s NHL and suggested he’d even go a step further.
“The way players are reckless, the way they play now and because of the equipment – the elbow pads and shoulder pads being so hard – whenever you get hit it’s like getting hit in the face with a hammer,” said Duguay, who works as a TV analyst for Rangers games. “If I was wearing a helmet, I would go ahead and wear a visor because you want to protect your eyes.”
It’s hard to imagine a helmeted Duguay would have had the same impact on the New York social scene, where he was linked romantically with everyone from Cher to Bianca Jagger. In a 1984 People magazine article, Duguay recounted phone calls from Cheryl Tiegs and Farrah Fawcett the day he was dealt away by New York in 1983.
However, Duguay said the likes of Tiegs are no longer on his speed dial. He’s been married almost 20 years to former model Kim Alexis, with whom he has a son. (He also has two daughters from previous marriages.)
The only celebrity he still sees from his New York glory days is former Studio 54 buddy John McEnroe.
“That’s all behind me,” Duguay said of his playboy lifestyle. “I’ll write a book someday and we can bring it up then.”
Sutter loudly gets message across to Flames
Scott Cruickshank, Postmedia News February 24, 2012
CALGARY — Brent Sutter's answer is starting to peter out, typically a sign for someone to ask another question.
Which is exactly what happens Friday afternoon at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
But before the inquisitor can croak out the fresh query, the Calgary Flames coach suddenly raises his voice.
Apparently, he’s got more to say.
“You just can’t come to the rink and let it happen — you’ve got to grab it,” Sutter says loudly. “The position we’re in, we’ve got to grab it. We’ve got to go out and go after it. It’s not something like, ‘Well, let’s see what the five other teams did tonight. Did they lose or win? We had a so-so game. We just got a point. Let’s see what they did.’ No. Let’s go after this.
“Let’s be the team to dictate how we’re going to play. Let’s be the team to dictate what the outcome of the standings are going to be in April.”
Right arm starting to pump, Sutter continues with uncharacteristic verve.
“It’s not something that’s just handed to you. I’ve played on teams that have gone out and grabbed it. And I’ve played on teams that had a hesitancy to do that. Because it’s extra. And that’s what we’re trying to get our group to understand. They have to be mentally, physically, emotionally, totally engaged every night — all out — to get it done.
“At the end of the night if it doesn’t work out, at least we went out fighting.”
Which would be in stark contrast to the eggs laid recently by the Flames — six periods at home so far this week, only one of which could be called decent. All that, after earning possession of a playoff spot in the Western Conference for the first time in 342 days.
Explain that.
“I don’t want to see it get away from us,” says Sutter, whose beleaguered boys face the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday night. “The last couple games haven’t been at the standards I want to see. You’ve got 21 big hockey games left. We just have to recognize it, deal with it, get back on track. We’re right in the mix, right in the thick of things. It’s not like it’s gotten away on us . . . but I don’t want to see it slip away.
“That’s why I’ve been the way I’ve been the last few days.”
Which is to say somewhat surly.
Sutter did his ranting Friday in front of an uncommonly large gathering. Many of the media members had been waiting for the main event — access to general manager Jay Feaster the day after he criticized his club during Thursday’s broadcast of the 4-3 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes.
But the undercard packed plenty of punch.
“Hey, we’re in Canada, we’re in Calgary,” Sutter is saying. “I mean, there wouldn’t be this many people standing around if we were talking in Florida right now.”
Perhaps because of his team’s downward trend, the coach was more outwardly passionate than usual.
And the depth of his disappointment went well beyond the previous night, well beyond the previous season.
“It’s something that’s been here for a while,” says Sutter. “The franchise, there’s been some good things happen. But the fact of it, it’s gotten past the first round once in the past how many years?”
The answer — 22.
For the current lot to get there, more is required from its core.
While Sutter didn’t name names, he did wonder about players who hadn’t ever experienced the post-season, about players who had experienced only a few playoff tilts.
Jay Bouwmeester has 696 regular-season dates to his credit — and not a single one in the spring. And Olli Jokinen, with 1,021 games, has played only a single playoff series.
Further, Jarome Iginla has been no snarling heck for the last week or so. Alex Tanguay, too.
“Through it all, they’re not getting younger,” Sutter says of the team’s veterans. “It’s them not understanding what is 100 per cent. What is that full engagement? That full amount that it takes?”
Given the recent shortfall, it was not surprising to see Feaster — with the regular season starting to wind down, with the NHL’s trade deadline looming — chew into his listless troops on live television.
“The message is the message,” says Sutter when asked about his boss’s comments. “I did talk to (the players) about it. It’s a situation (for them) where you don’t control what’s being thought, what may or may not happen upstairs.
“Let’s just keep our focus where it needs to be.”
Silvertips fire general manager Doug Soetaert
Gregg Drinnan, Taking Note, Feb 3 2012
The Everett Silvertips played their first WHL season in 2003-04.
They finished atop the U.S. Division, going 35-27-8-2 (the 8 being ties) and, incredibly enough, getting all the way to the WHL’s championship final where they lost to the Medicine Hat Tigers.
The Silvertips were in their first season in the WHL; the Tigers were in their 34th. In the previous 10 seasons, the Tigers had, in order, been bounced in the first round four times, missed the playoffs five times and lost in the second round once.
I bring this up because the Silvertips fired general manager Doug Soetaert on Thursday.
Soetaert, 55, was named the Silvertips’ vice-president and GM on April 16, 2002, a position he filled until May 16, 2005, when he left to work as the GM of an AHL franchise in Omaha that was hooked up with the NHL’s Calgary Flames. He stayed there one season, then returned to Everett.
Soetaert, a former WHL goaltender, built a franchise that won three U.S. Division titles and a Western Conference championship in its formative years. The Silvertips also finished atop the WHL’s overall standings in 2006-07, when they went 54-15-3.
Two seasons ago, Everett went 46-21-5 and finished in a tie with the Tri-City Americans for top spot in the U.S. Division and the Western Conference. The Americans, however, won one more game (47-46) than did Everett, so was awarded the pennant.
The last two seasons, however, haven’t been as kind to Everett. It was 28-33-11 last season, after which head coach Craig Hartsburg left to join the Flames’ coaching staff. You may recall, too, that the season was disrupted somewhat when Hartsburg left the team to undergo a heart procedure.
This season, under head coach Mark Ferner, the Silvertips are 12-30-9 and may well miss the playoffs for the first time in the franchise’s history.
Prior to this season, Soetaert admitted that he was beginning a full-scale rebuild. This wasn’t a reload. This would be a complete rebuild.
Soetaert now won’t be around to see his plan to fruition.
“Doug's contract was expiring this year, and we've been spending months evaluating our direction," Silvertips president Gary Gelinas told Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald. "We made the decision not to renew his contract. We decided to make the decision sooner rather than later so we could find the right individual to bring in and lead the organization.”
Gelinas also told Patterson that no other changes are expected for the time being.
The Silvertips are owned by Bill Yuill, who sold the Seattle Thunderbirds in order to purchase the expansion franchise for Everett. Gelinas is the franchise’s president and governor.
Firing Soetaert at this particular point in time is a risky proposition and, on the face of it, doesn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense.
Soetaert has more than proven himself in this league and, one might have thought, had earned a chance to right the ship.
You also have to wonder how secure Ferner is feeling this morning. He left a situation with the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers in which he could have stayed indefinitely. Under Ferner, the Vipers had made three straight trips to the RBC Cup, the national junior A championship tournament, winning two of them.
With Soetaert gone, assistant GM Zoran Rajcic and Ferner will handle those duties.
Now, with a new GM to come in sometime in the next few months, you have to wonder just how safe the coaching staff will be once this season ends.
As one WHL team official told me last night: “It’s a (crappy) game sometimes.”
Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
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